Bowmanville dogs being injured by careless fishers

Three dogs a year need surgery after swallowing fish hooks dumped along creek trails

Bowmanville dogs being injured by careless fishers

Sabrina Byrnes / Metroland

CLARINGTON -- Angela Brake with her daughter Moya and their dog Baxter. Baxter recently swallowed a baited fish hook that was dumped by the path leading to the creek. It took a costly operation but he's going to be fine. Local vets say they see at least one case a year, where fishers dump their tackle and dogs are injured eating fish hooks. November 6, 2012

CLARINGTON -- Some fishers are dumping baited hooks along the Bowmanville creek trails and dogs are being injured when they swallow the dangerous hook along with the fish bait.

"It's pretty careless. It's laziness and not thinking about the consequences. I don't know if these fishers don't have dogs but (dogs) swallow it and they don't think twice," said Aspen Springs Animal Hospital veterinarian Dr. Gabrielle Benzaquen, who stressed there aren't a high number of dogs coming in with hooks but it is a completely preventable injury.

Angela Brake's dog Baxter is great with kids, loves being outside and apparently likes salmon eggs enough to eat a baited fish hook.

In late October, the highland terrier-poodle cross was on leash, on the Spry Avenue sidewalk where a path connects the street to the Bowmanville Creek.

"He looked like he had eaten something and had a fishing line coming out of his mouth," said Ms. Brake. "We'll be more wary in that neighbourhood now. Usually when you're on the sidewalk, you're pretty safe."

Baxter was quickly taken to the Aspen Springs Animal Hospital for an X-ray, followed by surgery and an overnight stay at a Whitby animal hospital.

"He's going to be fine. We've had him since he was a puppy and he just turned seven," said Ms. Brake.

Each of the Bowmanville veterinary clinics interviewed said they see one dog a year who has swallowed a fish hook -- so approximately three dogs a year are rushed to the vet after a walk at the creek.

The Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic now warns new clients who walk by the creek about the risks of dogs eating hooks, according to veterinary technician Chantelle Oliver.

The local vets said swallowing a fish hook could be fatal for the dog if there was leakage from a puncture in the digestive tract. None of the Bowmanville vets was aware of any dogs who had died from swallowing a hook.

However several dogs have required surgery to remove the hook and overnight observation at an animal hospital. That can easily carry a $2,000 price tag.

"You can't leave the fish hook in there," said Dr. Benzaquen.

Asked if the baited fish hooks could harm outdoor cats living in the area, Dr. Benzaquen said she's never heard of that happening but it's possible.

"Cats are a little more careful about what they put in their mouths," she added.